Apparatus for evacuating and sealing bags



Feb. 20, 1968 H. NIEDECKER APPARATUS FOR EVACUATING AND SEALING BAGS Filed NOV. 18, 1964 In van for HERBERT NIEDECKER TOR E YS United States Patent Ofiice 3,369,341 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 3,369,341 APPARATUS FOR EVACUATING AND SEALING BAGS Herbert Niedecker, Georg-Pingler-Strasse 6, Konigstein, Taunus, Germany Filed Nov. '18, 1964, Ser. No. 412,067 1 Claim. (Cl. 53-112) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bag sealing and evacuating apparatus having a rotatable suction and winding head for evacuating and twisting the neck of a bag, which suction and winding head is pivotable for swinging the twisted portion of the evacuated bag into engagement with a clip fastener that applies a sealing clip around the twisted bag portion.

This invention relates in general to apparatus for evacuating and sealing bags, and more particularly to an apparatus for vacuum sealing bags on a pivotable suction and winding head spindle which permits the twisted portion of an evacuated bag to be swung into engagement with a stationary sealing clip applicator mechanism.

In prior art apparatus of this type, the suction and winding head and the sealing apparatus are fixedly disposed with respect to each other so that the central axis of the suction and winding head passes through the sealing Clip fastening members, usually a pair of jaws. Frequently, in these prior art systems, the sealing apparatus is operated from the same vacuum source used for evacuating the bag.

Some of these systems use suction and winding head spindles which can be axially displaced and urged against a rotating clutch disc to rotate the spindle and thereby twist the end of the bag simultaneously with the displacement while the bag is being evacuated. In apparatus featuring such an arrangement, there is the disadvantage of the sealing apparatus interfering with the pulling of the bag opening onto the spindle, and the need for pulling the twisted but yet unsealed bag off of the spindle and into the sealing apparatus. This creates some difiiculties in that the bag has a tendency to stick to the spindle because of the vacuum.

It is furthermore known in the prior art, as exemplified by US. Patent No. 2,733,564 to A. G. Russell et al., to use a suction and winding head which rotates about a fixed axis in combination with a pivotally movable sealing apparatus. In this particular instance, the sealing mechanism operation is controlled by a cam, and a second cam, separately driven is used to swing the sealing apparatus into position for applying sealing clips to the bags. Although this system provides certain advantages, it is relatively expensive and unless precisely constructed, the sealing members of its pivotal sealing apparatus will not always engage the twisted bag with the required accuracy for proper sealing.

The apparatus according to the invention is directed at avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages of the prior art apparatus, and providing a simple system in which the opening of a bag that is to be sealed can be drawn easily and without interference onto a winding and suction head, and after winding and evacuation, with the bag still on the winding and suction head, the twisted end of said bag can be brought rapidly and precisely into engagement with the sealing apparatus for fastening a sealing clip or the like thereupon to form a permanent vacuum sealed bag.

The apparatus of the instant invention provides a power driven, rotatable suction and winding head spindle for evacuating and twisting a bag disposed thereupon, said spindle being connected to a vacuum source, an associated sealing apparatus of conventional construction for placing a sealing clip about the twisted portion of the bag, said sealing apparatus being fixedly disposed on a common supporting structure, and means for moving said spindle and bag relative to the sealing members of said sealing apparatus, so that a sealing clip can be fastened upon the bag thereby. As more fully appears hereinafter, the means for moving the spindle can be a pivotal mounting which permits the twisted portion of the bag to be swung on the spindle, into engagement with the sealing members or jaws of the sealing apparatus, or alternatively, a slidable mounting which permits the bag to be evacuated and twisted at a position removed from the sealing apparatus, and then displaced parallel to said position into engagement with the sealing ap paratus.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the suction and winding head spindle is driven by a motor which is controlled by a knee switch, with the drive means for the sealing apparatus being automatically engaged by a switch, or valve mechanism responsive to the position of the spindle, said sealing apparatus being actuated when the spindle is in a position which places the twisted portion of the bag between the seal applying members of said sealing apparatus.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for evacuating and sealing bags which permits the application of a sealing device without removal of the bag from communication with the vacuum source used for evacuation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaid wherein the evacuation and twisting of bags can be performed without interference with the sealing apparatus.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaid, which is relatively simple and inexpensive, and which prevents air from re-entering the evacuated bag prior to sealing.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in or become evident from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the table 1 of a standard 2 rigidly supports a sealing clip fastening apparatus 3 mounted thereto. The sealing apparatus 3 can be any suitable conventional mechanism for placing and fastening sealing clips (not shown) around twisted portions of evacuated bags. By way of example only, FIG. 2 shows a sealing apparatus having a plunger 31 and a pair of crimping jaws 32, 32, operatively connected to said plunger 31 so as to fasten and crimp a sealing clip therebetween. The plunger 31 is operatively connected to be driven by a motor 4 through. a single-revolution clutch 5.

Since apparatus for the placement of sealing clips are well known in the prior art. and the detail construction of a particular sealing apparatus 3 to be used as an element in this invention is outside the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that any suitable sealing apparatus 3 which will function as described herein can be used. For example, if a hydraulic or pneumatically operated sealing apparatus 3 is used, the motor 4 and clutch can be omitted. If desired, a sealing apparatus 3 having a knife, or cutter 6 for cutting off the projecting twisted portion of a bag 30 (shown in phantom), can be used.

Adjacent to the sealing apparatus 3, .a work plate 7 supported by the table 1 is provided for supporting the bag 30 to be evacuated, twisted and sealed. The work plate 7 has limb portion 33 which projects in front of the sealing apparatus 3 for supporting the bag 30 on the suction and winding head spindle 12 in the angular position shown in FIG. 2.

If desired, the height of the work plate 7 above the table 1 can be made adjustable by supporting it on a slidable column 33 which can be locked in place by a toggle clamp 8.

' Next to the sealing apparatus 3 and underneath the guard 9, is a winding apparatus 10, which is pivotally mounted to the table 1 by means of a bearing 11. The winding apparatus 10 includes a suction and winding head spindle 12, which is driven by a motor 13 mounted to the apparatus 10 in a conventional manner, said motor 13 serving to drive the spindle 12 in rotation via the friction wheels 14 and 15, said friction wheel 15 being coupled to the spindle 12.

The spindle 12 is hollow and has an interior passage 34 connected to a suction pipe 16 for evacuation of the bag 30. The suction pipe 16 also serves as a pivotable support for the apparatus 10, and is carried by the bearing 11, and guided by the collar 35 extending through the table 1, said bearing 11 being supported by said table 1.

If desired, the height of the spindle 12 rotation axis 22 above the table 1' can be made adjustable by either providing a spring (not shown) in the bearing 11, so that the apparatus 10 can be pushed down on the pipe 16, or by using a bearing 11 which has a suitable locking collar (not shown) so that said apparatus 10 can be either pushed up or down and locked in place to pivot "with the spindle 12 at a desired elevation with respect to the table 1.

The suction pipe 16 is connected to a flexible vacuum 4 line 36 which is in turn connected to a valve 17 which can be operated by a pedal 18. A vacuum pump 19, driven by a motor and connected to the valve 17 provides a means for evacuating the bag 30, through said valve 17, line 36, pipe 16 and spindle passage 34. If a suitable vacuum source (not shown) is available, the valve 17 may be connected directly thereto, and the pump 19 and motor 20 can be omitted.

In the typical operation of the apparatus according to the invention, the opening of the bag is pushed onto the suction and winding head spindle 12 with the apparatus 10 and spindle axis 22 in the position shown in FIG. 1. The bag 30 containing a product (not shown) to be vacuum sealed is first evacuated by actuating the pedal 18.

Then the spindle 12 is rotated by the motor 13, which is actuated by a knee switch 23, to twist the end of the bag 30 into a pigtail.

When twisting a bag 30 containing a relatively light weight product, a more eifective twisting can be obtained if the operator (not shown) either holds the end of the bag 30 or presses it against the work plate 7 to prevent it from rotating with the spindle 12.

At the end of the twisting operation, the motor 13 is stopped by releasing the knee switch 23, and the bag 30 is slidably swung or lifted and swung across the work plate 7, still connected to the spindle 12, with said spindle 12 and apparatus 10 being pivoted until the twisted portion of the bag 30 is placed between the jaws 32 and 32 of the sealing apparatus 3 for the application of a sealing clip thereon.

The line 21 in FIG. 1 represents the position of the spindle axis 22 when the bag 30 is between the jaws 32 and 32 of the sealing apparatus 3.

By way of example, the spindle axis 22 is shown as intersecting the pivot axis of the apparatus 10. However, as is obvious to those skilled in the art, the pivot axis of the apparatus 10 can be offset from the spindle axis 22, since it is only necessary that the apparatus 10 be capable of pivoting to a position where the spindle axis 22 passes through the jaws 32 and 32' of said sealing apparatus 3, so that the twisted portion of the bag 30 may be sealed with a clip or other suitable fastening member (not shown).

If desired, the sealing apparatus 3 may be actuated manually by an operator. However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention as represented by FIGS. 1 and 2, this function can be performed automatically by means of a radial arm 24, fasiened to the pipe 16. This arm 24 is disposed at an angular position on said pipe 16 so that when the apparatus 10 is pivoted to the position where the spindle axis 22 coincides with the line 21, the arm 24 actuates a switch 25 which controls the motor 4, thereby causing said motor 4 to drive the plunger 31 via the clutch 5 and cause the jaws 32 and 32 to apply a sealing clip to the twisted portion of the bag 30.

If desired, the bearing 11 can b provided wih a spring (not shown) as aforesaid so that the spindle 12 and pipe 16 may be restorably depressed, and the switch 25 can be so constructed with a notch, or detent, (not shown) so that the spindle 12 must be first depressed before it can be swung into the position of line 21 to actuate the switch 25 for application of a sealing clip to the bag 30. This feature is desirable for safety since it prevents a sealing clip from being applied accidentally if the spindle and bag were completely free to swing into the line 21 position.

Although not specifically shown by way of example in FIGS. 1 and 2, the winding apparatus 10 can be slidably mounted to the table 1, in lieu of, or in addition to the pivotal mounting heretofore described, since in general the invention contemplates a moveable winding apparatus 10 in combination with a fixedly disposed sealing apparatus, and is not limited to any specific winding apparatus mounting arrangement. For example, the Winding apparatus 10 can be slidably mounted so as to be movable with the spindle 12 axis fixed parallel to line 21, said sliding motion being in a direction inclined toward the seal ing apparatus 3, so that the bag 30 can be placed in operative engagement therewith. Alternatively. the winding apparatus 10 can be mounted so as to be both pivotally and slidably displaceable, and thus provided with two degrees of freedom for placing the bag 30 in engagement with the sealing apparatus 3 as aforesaid.

Thus, the apparatus of this invention provides a relatively simple, safe and effective means for vacuum sealing bags, and permits the bags to remain connected with the vacuum source until after they are sealed, thereby reducing the hazard of product contamination through air leakage.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for evacuating and sealing bags having in combination rotatable suction winding spindle head for evacuating said bag and twisting a portion of said evacuated bag; means for affixing a sealing clip on said evacuated twisted bag adapted to substantially maintain said evacuation; and pivotable support means for said evacuating and twisting head; the improvement in said combination in which the pivot axis of said head is vertical and said pivotable support means is spring biased and depressible and has a switch actuating means affixed thereto; and switch means positioned to be actuated by movement of said switch actuating means and depression of said pivotable support upon alignment of said evacuating and twisting means with said clip affixing means, whereby to actuate said clip afiixing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,928 5/1959 Pearce et al. 53-22X 3,094,825 6/1963 Bracey et al. 53-112 3,208,193 9/ 1965 Rumsey 5322 X 3,237,366 3/1966 Tipper 531l2 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. 

